Thursday~ 4/28/11

Today I was not in class due to a Leadership Conference I had to attend. I am planning on taking my pop quiz tomorrow or before mid-quarters. I have read both of the Roman packages and I am fully on track with the class.

Homemwork~ Class Discussion

 Today in class we went over all the answers to the homework in class. Mr. Wojo he thinks we should wear a jump suit for uniform! He also showed us a flag that helped us remember the story of the two twin brothers that were fed by wolves.( it was a flag of two pwoplw milking a cow but it looked like to people were drinking from the cow) We had a pop quiz in class. It wasn't bad. It was easy.
Homework!
Define:
Consul: The two officials of Rome instead of a king

Veto: Overrule; "I forbid" 

Senate: aristocratic branch of Rome's government

Assembly: The democratic side of Roman government 

Dictator: A leader who had absolute power to make laws and command the army

Mercenaries: Soldiers who fight in any country's army for pay

SPQR: the letters on the Roman coins meaning Senatus Populusque Romanus- the senate and the Roman people

Twelve Tables: 12 laws that established the idea that all free citizens had a right to the protection of the law; helped to settle the conflict between patricians and plebeians 

Cincinnatus: The Roman ideal of a dictator is shown in this STORY- In 458 B.C, when Rome's armies were in peril, the senate named Cincinnatus dictator. He was plowing his four-acre farm when messengers brought him the news. He left his plow, defeated Rome's enemies, and stepped down as dictator in 15 days. He then returned to his farm to plow. 

Gauls: people from the Po River Valley, north of the Apennines; they sacked Rome leaving it in ruins

Pyrrhus: A king in western Greece

Carthage: The former Phoenician colony; near the midpoint of the Mediterranean Sea; had a huge navy of 500 ships and trade made them a very wealthy city 

Monarchy: government by king

Aristocracy: government by nobles

Democracy: government by the people


Questions and Answers:
1. a.Why were many plebeians dissatisfied with Rome's government in the early years of the republic?

In 509 B.C the Roman's drove out their Kings and patricians. Plebeians were barred by law from holding most important positions in government; commanding armies, serving as high priest, or holding high offices. 

b. How did they win reforms?
 The plebeians won a greater share of political power between 494 and 287 B.C. Thousands of plebeians refused to fight in the Roman army unless patricians agreed to certain reforms. 

c. What changes did they bring about in Roman government?

The plebeians gained higher political positions and more favorable laws. Marriage between the two groups was allowed and enslavement by debt was ended so they created a written law code called Twelve Tables.
  

2.Why did Romans consider that they had a balanced government?

The Romans meant that their government was partly a monarchy, partly an aristocracy, and partly a democracy. They believed that this gave them the best features of all kinds of governments.  

3. Once Rome had conquered most of Italy, how did the Roman government win the support of the conquered people?

Different parts of the Italy's conquered territory were subjected to different laws and treatment from Rome. 

4. a. At the start of the Punic Wars, why might Carthage have appeared stronger power?

Carthage had a population of 250,000 which was 3 times the size of Rome and they had a huge navy of 500 ships.

b.Why was Rome, in fact, the victor?

•   Rome could draw on a reserve of more than 500,000 troops made available through its conquests in Italy.
•  Rome's citizen troops were generally more loyal and reliable than the mercenaries employed by Carthage.
• Warfare was Roman specialty.  

5. Why was the Battle of Zama a major turning point in history?

If Hannibal had been the victorious, Carthage would have become the greatest empire in the world, not Rome. Since Rome was victorious, they passed on its laws, its government, and its culture to Western Civilization. 

6. a.Why did the Greeks at first welcome Roman armies?
 Roman armies marching into Macedon looked like protectors of Greek freedom. The Greeks rejoiced in 197 B.C when the Roman's freed them from the rule of Philip V of Macedon.  

b. Why did the Greek attitude change?

 The Romans interfered in Greek politics, and they crashed all opposition to rulers favored by Rome. The hardwork of Roman power in the east became increasingly ruthless. A few Greek city-states tried to free themselves from Rome's hard life.  

Rome... Class Discussion!

Today in class we had to read a short story/discription of Rome called The Roman Republic. This description tells us about Romes economy, clothing and other interesting facts about Rome. After we finished reading, we had to define words , identify cities, and answer question about the text.
Define: Republic- a political unit that is not ruled by a monarch and in which citizens with the right to vote choose there leaders.
Gravitas- weightiness or seriousness
Toga- the type of clothing the Romans wore. It was worn in the summer and winter and it was very uncomfortable and clumsy.
Patrician- they were special privileged families
Plebeian- the common farmers, artisans and merchants
Pater Familias- 'the father of the family"
Legion- a massive military unit
Identify:
Italy- which is shaped like a high heeled boot. The Italian peninsula is near the midpoint of the Mediterranean. The land is very mountainous and the country was rolling, wooded, fertile
Rome- it's midway in the Alps and Italy's southern tip. Rom occupies an ideal position from which to send out ships and armies in all directions. Romulus was part of an ancient Roman myth. He was the one who stated Rome after he struck his brother and killed him
Palatine Hill- the hill that Romulus chose for his new city. After he killed his brother, Palatine Hill became Athens
Alps- the Alps are located on the Eastern side of Rome
Tiber River- a river that the king put Romulus and his brother Remus in when they were just babies because he feared they would become to powerful
Questions:
#1: Geography was important to Rome because Italy is right in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, so  it was used as a trading place. It was also right on the shore and that was important because they could then see oncoming threats from the sea against them.
#2 These groups were important to Roman Development because;
-Latins just wandered throughout Rome. They lived simple lives and wasn't considered a city.
- Greeks established 50 colonies on the southern part of Italy.
-The Etruscans were civilized people and had their own writing system.
#3 Rome was once ruled by a king in which no people had power to vote for him until the government gave them there rights to vote for a leader.
#4 Roman households very were well kept and was respected by everyone in the family. The fathers were the most respected in the family and the women were in charge of the daily things and making food.
#5 Roman army effected society because all men were required to join the army.

Class Discussion Blog 12

Today in class, we took our test on the aincient Greek civilization. The test was fair and some what easy. I believe that I past the test and with an 80 or above. The test consist of many questions about Sparta, wars, art, and Philosophers. The one part of the test that I know I passed was about Sparta (Laughing). I was very familiar with everything that was on the test and I am very confident that I passed.

Class Discussion~Plato

Plato was an influential ancient Greek philosopher who was born in the year 427 BC in Athens, Greece. He was the son of wealthy Athenian parents and he began his philosophical career as a student of Socrates. After his father’s death, his mother married a friend of PericlesPlato was one of the most famous, respected, and influential philosophers of all time. We know the Greek philosopher Socrates mostly through Plato's dialogues. Plato was after Socrates and learned from his teachings.  It is because of Plato that we are most familiar with Socrates' philosophy because Plato wrote dialogues that his teacher took part. Plato later began to develop his own philosophy and the Socrates of the later dialogues does more teaching than he does questioning.
He thought that everything had a sort of ideal form, like the idea of a chair, and then an actual chair was a sort of poor imitation of the ideal chair that exists only in your mind. One of the ways Plato tried to explain his ideas was with the famous metaphor of the cave. He said, Suppose there is a cave, and inside the cave there are some men chained up to a wall, so that they can only see the back wall of the cave and nothing else. These men can't see anything outside of the cave, or even see each other clearly, but they can see shadows of what is going on outside the cave. Wouldn't these prisoners come to think that the shadows were real, and that was what things really looked like?

Class Discusson~ Week 11 Blog

Once again I did not have my computer so I was not able to post anything on my blog at the time but I hope that you will accepts this and have it in as on time.
Thank You!
Today we finished talking about Alexander the great and how he overcame every one of his fears. Alexander never lost a fight through out his career. His horse died in a terrible, bloody war in India. They won that battle but the entire army was hurt by Busefilis' death. Busefilis was a great horse that had only been tamed by one person and that was Alexander. Alexander was so petrified by his death that he named a whole city after Busefilis.

Class Discussion ~ for Blog 10 of Last Week!

Mr. Schick, I have not had my computer since last thursday but I have been taking notes on paper. For Blog 10 of last week, we watched a movie called Alexander the Great and we continued with other peoples projects earlier in the week. Alexander was a a young boy who became known as the great one because he was able to tame a wild horse name Busefalis and he never lost a war during his time as King. He was known for his heroic acts and bravery as a leader in the war.

Class Discussion

Today in class, I started to present my project on Spartan Life. So far it as been a great and entertaining project because of the harsh actions in which the Spartans did. I will continue to present my project on wednsday 4/6.